Myristyl esters of polycarboxylic acids



STYL ESTERS F POLYC I ACIDS George De Witt Graves, Wilmington, lDeL, and a Walter Eastby Lawson, Woodbury, N. J.

signors to E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington, Dot, a corporation oi Delaware No Drawing. Application August 31, 193%, Serial No. 742,270

Claims. (01. 260-103) I This invention relates to new compositions of matter, particularly to esters'oi myristyl alcohol, and still more particularly to the polycarboxylic acid esters of myristyl alcohol. This case is a 5 continuation in part of copending applications Serial Nos. 543,386 and 543,387, filed June 10,1931 and 646,298, filed December 8, 1932, which last two applications have resulted in U. S. Patents 1,972,091 and 1,972,092, respectively.

This in ent on has as an object the provision of processes for the preparation of polycarboxylic acid esters of myristyl alcohol. is the new class of esters thus prepared. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

These objects are accomplished by the follow ing invention wherein myristyl alcohol is reacted with a polycarboxylic acid or an anhydride or a chloride thereof, or an ester, thereof with a volakernel oil, or similar vegetable oils or oil acids derived therefrom. In general any polycarboxylic acid may be used, including aliphatic dicarboxylio acids such as succinic, adiplc, sebacic, maleic;'

aromatic carboxylic acids such as phthalic, terephthalic, trimesic; substituted-polycarboxylic acids such as tartaric, citric, nitrophthalic, diglycollic; heterocyclic acids such as quinolinic; allcyclic acids such as hexahydrophthalic; etc.

Having outlined above the general purposes and extent of the invention; the following applications of the general principle thereof to certain specific instances are included for purposes of illustration and not in limitation:

Example 1-Dimyristyl phthalote A mixture containing 296 g. phthalic anhydride, 856 g. of myristyl alcohol, 600 g. ethylene dichloride, and 5.5 g. of sulfuric acid was heated to A further object boiling in an apparatus designed to separate the water from the distillate and to return the ethylene dichloride to the reaction vessel. Distillation was continued until the theoretical amount of water had been removed and substantially all the organic acid had been esterified. The resultin product was washed with sodium carbonate solution to remove the acid, then with water. The product was refined by heating to 150 C. under 50 mm. vacuum to remove the majority of the volatile material. The product was then steamed under the same conditions to remove all traces of volatile material. The resulting product was decolorized with activated carbon and filtered. Dimyristyl phthalate is a water-white oily liquid of extremely high boiling point which slowly solidifies at room temperature.

Example 2-Dimyristyl succinote A mixture containing 236 g. oi succinic acid, 856 g. of myristyl alcohol, 600 g. of ethylene dichloride, and 4 g. of sulfuric acid was heated to boilin in the apparatus described in Example 1. The product was purified and refined as in Example 1.

Pure dimyristyl succinate is a white ce solid which melts above room temperature.

Example 3-Dimyristyl adipote Twenty-six grams of dibutyl adipate and 43 g. 01 myristyl alcohol were heated together with a trace of sodium metal and the liberated butyl alcohol distilled ofi. The crystalline dimyrlsty adipate melted above 35 C.

Example 4-Myristyl acid phthalote One hundred forty-eight grams of phthalic anhydride and 214 g. of myristyl alcohol were heated together at C. for one hour. The product crystalized when cooled to about 50 C. and analyzed for the calculated acid number.

The myristyl acid phthalate above produced may be further esterifled with other alcohols to give mixed esters, e. g., myristyl methyl phthalate,

, myristyl methoxyethyl phthalate, myristyl butyl phthalate, myristyl stcaryl phthalate, myristyl oleyl phthalate, etc.

These mixed esters may also be made by another process as indicated by the following example:

Example 5--Mwistyl butyl adipate A mixture of 26 g. of dibutyl adipate and 22.5 g.

' oi. myristyl alcohol were heated at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature of from 117-150 C. to eilect ester interchange. A distillate amounting to 7.5 g., boiling from 117-120 C. was taken 011'. At the end of the esteriflcation reaction, the temperature was raised to 190 C. and the pressure reduced to 4 mm. to remove lower boiling components of the reaction mixture. Its odor and boiling range showed it to be butanol. The residue was a yellow material and had a saponification number corresponding to that of myristyl butyl adipate.

Other mixed esters wherein one acid hydrogen is replaced by a myristyl radical and at least one other by the-radical of another monohydric alcphcl maybe made including the mixed esters with aromatic alcohols such as benzyl alcohol; alicyclic alcohols such as cycohexanol: heterocyclic alcohols, such as tetrahydrofuriuryl alcohol; ether alcohols such as diethylin, ethoxyethanol, methoxyethanol; etc. The .methods of preparation have been shown above, i. e., by reacting an acid ester of myristyl alcohol with the other alcohol, or vice verse; or in the case of more volatile alcohols, by reacting one molecular weight of the neutral ester of the volatile alcohol with one molecular weight 01' myristyl alcohol.

These esters may be used with cellulose derivatives such as ethyl cellulose and cellulose nihate for the manufacture of plastic and coating compositions. A composition of ethyl cellulose, resin, dimyristyl phthalate, parailin wax, and solvent gives a highly moistureprooi coating on objects without the wax. Similar coatings without the wax give tough, flexible films. Resins, oils, pigments, other plasticizers oi the type of the present invention, or plasticizers common to the art may be added.

The methods for the preparation of the compounds described above are capable of considerable variation, and are not limited to the specific methods described. The esters are generally use- Iul with all types of cellulose derivatives, with natural and synthetic resins, with various pigments and oils, as well as organic fillers, such as wood door or cellulose in the preparation of plastic and similar compositions.

The following formula is representative of the general type of compound covered by the present invention:

0000 HS l c0012.). wherein R represents a polyvalent' radical either aliphatic, aromatic, or substituted aliphatic or aromatic; R1 represents a radical derived from an alcohol including myristyl, and a: is at least one but may be more.

The esters or the present invention may be used in the preparation of plastic compositions or as high-boiling liquids for heat interchange or as lubricants.

Because of theirextreme high-boiling point and water resistance, they furnish non-volatile materials useful where common esters are not satisfactory. Because of their general test-lessness, lack of odor, and lack of toxicity, these esters are especially advantageous.

The above description and examples are intended to be illustrative only. Any modification of or variation therefrom which conforms to the spirit of the invention is intended to be included within the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. An ester of a polycarboxylic acid in which at least one acid hydrogen has been replaced by a myristyl radical.

'2. A neutral ester of a polycarboxylic acid in which at least one acid hydrogen has been replaced by a myristyl radical.

3. A neutral ester of a polycarbcxylic acid in which each oi the hydrogen atoms has been replaced by a myristyl radical.

4. An ester of a dicarboxylic acid in which at least one acid hydrogen has been replaced by a myristyl radical.

5. An ester of a dicarboxylic acid in which each acid hydrogen atom has been replaced by a myristyl radical.

6. A myristyl ester of phthalic acid.

7. Dimyristyl phthalate.

8. A myristyl ester of succinic acid.

9. Dimyristyl succinate.

10. Monomyristyl phthalate.

GEORGE DE WI'IT GRAVES. WALTER EASTBY LAWSON 

